Three drugs-related deaths have occurred in the Mid Ulster area in recent months, the High Court heard today.

Prosecutors revealed the figure as bail was refused to a man allegedly linked to recoveries of cocaine and cannabis with a combined potential street value of up to £2 million.

Paul Currie was arrested by police investigating seizures in counties Tyrone and Derry last month. The 53-year-old, of Limekiln Lane in Cookstown, faces counts of conspiracy to possess Class A and B drugs, and conspiracy to conceal criminal property.

Two other men have also been charged as part of the probe.

Officers recovered 40kg of cannabis resin, 1kg of cocaine and 25kg of a mixing agent on November 12.

They seized the drugs after monitoring a lorry and a car pull into a lay-by between Dungannon and Ballygawley.

Consignments were allegedly taken out of the lorry which had arrived in Northern Ireland from Scotland.

Paul Currie’s two co-accused were arrested at the scene. He was then detained in the Cookstown area.

A previous court was told more drugs and cash were seized in follow-up searches.

In Desertmartin, 11kg of cannabis resin and 3kg of herbal cannabis were found at a house. Searches at a number of properties in Cookstown led to £82,000 in cash also being recovered.

Although the cocaine’s street value was put at around £60,000, it was estimated that cutting it with mixing agent would give it a potential value of £1.5m.

The cannabis seized was believed to be worth more than £500,000 in total, according to police.

Opposing Paul Currie’s bail application, prosecution counsel claimed he was a “pivot” in a gang allegedly linked to the drugs. He also raised concerns about the general trade in illegal substances in the area, pointing to a number of deaths in recent times.